| Plot Synopsis Screenwriter Don Roos made his directorial debut with this oddball sex comedy. The tale is narrated by 16-year-old Louisiana tramp Dedee Truitt (Christina Ricci), who buries her stepfather and then heads for Indiana to visit her homosexual half-brother Bill (Martin Donovan). Recovering from the AIDS death of longtime companion Tom, schoolteacher Bill has linked up with a new partner, handsome Matt (Ivan Sergei). After Dedee seduces Matt and claims she's pregnant by him, the couple steals $10,000 from Bill's safety deposit box and heads for L.A. Alarmed by Matt's seeming disappearance and hoping to blackmail Bill into disclosing Matt's whereabouts, Bill's former student (also Matt's former beau) Jason (Johnny Galecki) accuses Bill of molestation four years previous, a charge that jeopardizes Bill's job as a schoolteacher. To clear his name, Bill, and Tom's sister Lucia (Lisa Kudrow), leave for L.A. to locate Matt and Dedee. Lucia is a repressed old maid who flinches from even the thought of sex, but even so, weird Sheriff Tippett (Lyle Lovett) takes a fancy to her. Meanwhile, questions are raised about the true father of Dedee's baby, and the film comes to a climax with a shooting, a cross-county chase, and the inevitable showdown between the quirky characters. - Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide Review RACHEL DEAHL All Movie Guide From first-time director Don Roos comes this witty dramedy about family, sex, and surviving both of them. Emerging as a viable leading lady, Christina Ricci stars as the white trash heroine, Dedee Truitt, who appears at the doorstep of her gay stepbrother (Martin Donovan) and goes about turning his life upside down by stealing his sweet boyfriend (Ivan Sergei) and enraging the embittered woman who's in love with him (Lisa Kudrow). Equipped with a razor-sharp screenplay, The Opposite of Sex smartly handles the touchy subject of homophobia with winning humor and originality. In addition to Ricci's nuanced turn, Kudrow also shines as the lonely Lucia, making audiences take notice of the fact that her range might extend beyond the dippy presence she provides as Phoebe on NBC's long-running Friends. DON ROOS AboutFilm.Com March 1999 Grade: B- The most interesting thing about The Opposite of Sex is that it's creatively narrated by the story's least sympathetic character, 16-year old Dedee Truitt (Christina Ricci). Dedee runs away from home to visit her gay half-brother Bill (Martin Donovan) and then runs off with Bill's boyfriend, Matt (Ivan Sergei). The plot thickens when we find out that Dedee is pregnant and when one of Bill's former students, whom Matt was seeing on the side, accuses Bill of molestation. Beyond the narration and the homosexual element, however, The Opposite of Sex is a fairly typical 1990s indie sex comedy. It even has a member of the cast of Friends--Lisa Kudrow, who is convincing and funny as Lucia, a bitter old maid who accompanies Bill on his cross-country chase after Dedee and Matt. Meanwhile, Christina Ricci makes an indelible mark as the mean, promiscuous Dedee. She's a major talent, proving that child actors can sometimes continue their careers as adults. Unfortunately, all the male actors pretty much suck. Boring Martin Donovan confuses overdone earnestness and sincerity with actual acting, and Lyle Lovett is a stiff wooden board as the bizarre sheriff who tails Bill and Lucia. DRAGAN ANTULOV A.K.A. DRAX http://film.purger.com Dragan Antulov rec.arts.movies.reviews Review written on May 28th 2004 "Even the blind hen can pick a grain or two" is one of the most popular proverbs in this part of world. The author of this review learned to use it while assessing certain films in the context of their authors' careers. One example could be provided by Don Roos, whose screenwriting credits in 1990s usually weren't something to write home about. Yet, in one precious moment he managed to write script bordering at the very edge of brilliance. He even bothered to direct the script and the result was 1998 comedy THE OPPOSITE OF SEX. The protagonist and narrator of the film is Dede Truitt (played by Christina Ricci), 16-year old girl from small town in Louisiana. She lacks good manners, education and money, but all that is of little importance to men preoccupied with certain parts of her anatomy and unaware of her lack of moral scruples. Dede decides to run from her impoverished home and finds shelter in the home of Bill (played by Martin Donovan), half-brother who is twice her age. Bill is everything Dede is not - well-educated, soft-spoken, morally responsible and homosexual. His rich lover has died of AIDS and left Bill with a pile of money. Bill tries to find some sort of comfort in the arms of Matt Mateo (played by Ivan Sergei), new and younger lover. Matt's youth and innocence allow Dede to start sexual intrigue - she seduces Matt and convinces him that he made her pregnant. Two new lovers steal Bill's money and head for Los Angeles. To make things worse for, Jason Bock (played by John Galecki), Bill's former boyfriend and student of high school where Bill had taught, comes forward with false accusations of paedophilia. Bill loses his job and the only support comes from Lucia (played by Lisa Kudrow), deceased lover's sister who always carried torch for him. Bill and Lucia decide to track Dede and Matt down, while being followed by Sheriff Carl Tippet (played by Lyle Lovett) who is trying to investigate Jason's accusations while falling in love with Lucia. THE OPPOSITE OF SEX looks refreshing and almost daring compared with most of comedies to come from 1990s Hollywood. First of all, it breaks one of Hollywood's most sacred taboos by portraying homosexuals as anything but saintly characters. Another thing is dark, misanthropic and almost sadistic level of humour. More pleasant surprise comes with the casting where two actresses play characters totally against the type. Christina Ricci, who made a career as a child actor, triumphs in the role of malevolent sexual predator. Lisa Kudrow, who is usually associated with the image of ditzy blonde, is in a way even more impressive as sexually repressed woman. But the most ingenious thing in Roos' script is decision to have its protagonist/narrator dissect the film in the manner of geek dissecting the particularly lousy trash film. THE OPPOSITE OF SEX is far from trash film. In some of its segments it even touches some of the major social issues of 1990s America and satirises both bigotry and "political correctness". However, that doesn't mean that THE OPPOSITE OF SEX is a masterpiece. Roos had a lot to learn while directing this film and it shows on screen. Cinematography is too dark, while script itself begins to lose steam near the end. However, THE OPPOSITE OF SEX, despite not being as brilliant as it could have been, provides very enjoyable viewing experience. Awards 1998 Independent Spirit Award Best Actress (nom)-Christina Ricci Best First Feature (win)-Don Roos Best Screenplay (win)-Don Roos Best Supporting Actress (nom)-Lisa Kudrow Other Awards Best Supporting Actress (win)-Christina Ricci -1998 National Board of Review Best Supporting Actress (win)-Lisa Kudrow -1998 New York Film Critics Circle Best Actress - Runner-up (win)-Christina Ricci -1998 Toronto Film Critics Association |
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| THE OPPOSITE OF SEX 1998- USA - 120 min. - Feature - Color Director - Don Roos |
| Genre / Type - Comedy Gay & Lesbian Films Domestic Comedy Flags - Adult Humor, Mild Violence, Not For Children, Profanity Keywords - AIDS chase, cross-country, death, dysfunctional family, seduction, funeral, homosexual, jealousy, molestation, pregnancy, repression, sex, sheriff, teenagers, savings, step-relative, musical-beds MPAA Rating - R Themes - Suburban, Dysfunction, Runaways, Unrequited Love, Teachers and Students Tones - Irreverent, Quirky, Biting, Witty, Sexual, Talky, Satirical Moods - Strictly Speaking, Comedy on the Edge Color type - Foto-Kem Sound by - Dolby Produced by - Rysher Entertainment Released by - Sony Pictures Classics MPAA Reasons - for strong language and sex related dialogue and sexuality DVD Street Date - Oct 1, 1999 Languages - English Subtitles - English, German Special Box DA Screen Format - Color, WS Aspect Ratio - 1.85:1 (DVD) Studio - Columbia Tristar Cast Christina Ricci -- Dedee Truitt Martin Donovan -- Bill Truitt Lisa Kudrow -- Lucia Lyle Lovett -- Sheriff Carl Tippett Johnny Galecki -- Jason William Lee Scott -- Randy Ivan Sergei -- Matt Mateo Harrison Young -- Medical Examiner Rodney Eastman - Ty |
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